


The Second Century

by legendofkuvira (jephaway)



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Ending, Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Forgiveness, Gen, Grief/Mourning, How Do I Tag, IPRE Era, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Worst Possible Ending
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-06
Updated: 2017-08-25
Packaged: 2018-11-28 07:57:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11413551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jephaway/pseuds/legendofkuvira
Summary: The world ended, and the IPRE continues their journey through space and time, but this time seven is made eight.The Second Century will not be any easier than the first.[spoilers for stolen century & story and song arcs]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I never intended for this to be a thing, but here we are. Suffering together. 
> 
> Shoutout to @maegnus on tumblr for being my motivation to do these terrible, terrible things. Love u always
> 
> EDIT: OH ALSO if you want to know how this started, go read my fic "nine of swords". That's kind of the standalone of how this all... started

Angus sits in a chair at the kitchen table, blanket wrapped around his shoulders, scarfing down something hot and messy that Taako had whipped up for him with the supplies they had managed to scavenge. The others had scattered, off to scavenge supplies, assess damage, and probably cry at least a little, leaving Taako alone to explain the situation to the kid. After all, Taako was closer to Angus than any of the others. It only made sense that he was the one to start this conversation.

“So, Angus. Tell me what you’ve got figured out in that lil’ dome of yours.” Taako pulls out a chair and sits next to Angus, offering the boy a cup of cocoa that he had conjured up. “Sorry it’s not the real deal, but conjured is still better than instant.”

Angus takes the mug in his hands and sets it carefully on the table. There’s a maturity in his eyes that makes Taako’s stomach churn. The kid has already been through so much. He never talked much about what his life was like before Taako, Magnus, and Merle entered the picture, but from what Taako could gather, it wasn’t good. At the Bureau, the three of them had been pretty shitty to him, and it was obvious that this kid looked up to them. Every time Taako thinks about it, he wanted to take it all back. Now, there’s no way to fix it. It’s impossible to move forward when time throws you back.

“So, you’re all young again. And we escaped the- the hunger, right?” Angus looks to Taako for confirmation and he gives a nod of both affirmation and encouragement. “And we’re on a ship, in space, but I’m not- I don’t know where we are. It’s not Faerun down there, is it?”

“Do you remember what Lucretia explained before the battle? About the century we spent travelling between different realms of existence?” Taako asks.

“Yeah of course I do. I have a perfect memory, sir.” Angus says and Taako gives a smile that almost betrays how he’s feeling.

“Well, this is the ship she was talking about- the Star Blaster. And, uh, no we’re not in faerun anymore. Hate to break it to ya, but that world is gonezo. It doesn’t exist. I’m, uh, I’m sorry about that one Ango. I know you had family there.”

Angus is quiet, sipping on his hot chocolate, the gears obviously turning in his head, processing the information that he’s being given. The silence is what distresses Taako the most. He’s known Angus for almost a year now, and it’s rare that the child is ever quiet. He’s always asking questions, always answering questions, always talking about something. Sometimes Angus even talked in his sleep. The silence is unnerving.

Finally, Angus looks up from his cocoa with tears in his eyes. “Sir… what’s going to happen to me? Am I going to be like this forever? Am I- will I be ten years old forever?”

The way that Angus asks it breaks Taako’s heart. In the pit of his stomach, he feels that same gut-wrenching realization that the original seven of them had felt when they realized that they weren’t in their home plane anymore. It’s as familiar in his mind as the moment he felt it- the moment he stepped off the ship in cycle one and realized that it was real. Where will they be when Angus experiences that sensation of immediate anxiety and homesickness? The rest of them have experienced that feeling a hundred times over, but this is new to Angus. For them, this is their hundredth cycle, but for him it’s the first. And to go through all of it at such a young age. Sure, Lucretia’s only eighteen, and Taako and Lup are young in the elven sense of the word, but Angus is a _child_.

Before Taako can even think about it long enough to stop it, there are tears in his eyes, too. He slides his chair closer to Angus and runs a hand through the boy’s thick brown curls in an attempt at being paternal and comforting. “I… I don’t know, Ango.”

“So,” Angus sniffles, wipes a fat tear from his eyes, and looks up at Taako, “what can I do to help?”

Anxiety strikes Taako like a bolt of lightning. His hand falls to rest on Angus’ shoulder as he tries to gather a thought that wasn’t ‘ _Fuck no_ ’. Angus couldn’t help any of them, really. Their work was too dangerous, they all spent too much time out in the world. What could Angus possibly-

“You could help Lucretia, dear.”

Taako and Angus turn to see Lup leaning against the kitchen doorframe, a smile playing on her lips. “She has a lot of writing to catch up on, and I bet she’d love to have an extra pair of hands to help copy her journals.” Lup quickly crosses the room and squats down in front of Angus. “It’s Angus, right?”

“Yes ma’am.”

Lup gives a soft, bemused laugh. “Please, just Lup is fine. Or Aunt Lup, if you’re feeling up to it. But Angus- I promise it’ll all work out, alright? We’re going to work as hard as we can to make sure that this journey is as short as possible, I promise you.”

Angus adjusts his glasses and smiles, more convinced that things might be okay. “Where is the Madam Director? I want to start helping right away.”

“Lucretia’s in her quarters. Turn right, go to the end of the hall and make another right. Her door’s on the left side and it’s got her name on it.” Lup stands and Angus follows suit, blanket still wrapped around his shoulders, cocoa in hand. “You got all that?”

“Yes, of course, ma’am. I’m really good at directions.” Angus smiles even though his face is red and tear-streaked. “Thank you so much, um, Lup.”

“Of course, dear. Go along, we’ll call you two when we land.”

The twins watch Angus exits the kitchen, and as soon as his footsteps fade down the hall, Lup takes his place at the table and rests her head against Taako’s shoulder. Their feelings are perfectly communicated through the silence. What are they going to do with a kid? For all the intellectual knowledge and magical skill that Angus possesses, he’s still a boy. He’ll never grow. He’ll never be old enough to fight with a sword, and neither of them could imagine trying to teach Angus, a ten year old boy, how to go toe-to-toe in a Wizard duel. How did he even end up here in the first place?

It’s Lup that finally breaks the silence. “You know, I’ve… always wanted to be an Auntie.”

“To be honest, I didn’t expect to one day be responsible for a child, let alone a _human_ child, but Angus is a good kid. If I was going to be anyone’s surrogate father, I’m glad I’m his.”

The twins both sigh and Lup sits up, turning to face Taako. There’s a serious look on her face that Taako knows all too well. “Taako, what are we going to do? We can’t protect him forever, but we can’t ask a child to fight.”

“You know LuLu, I don’t know what we’re going to do either. We’ll just have to… figure it out.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey....... im actually posting a second chapter of something..........
> 
> i promise plot related stuff will happen next time but in the meantime enjoy me being emo about a 10 year old boy
> 
> xoxo

Angus takes a deep breath before knocking on Lucretia’s door. He doesn’t know why, but for once he feels nervous about talking to The Director. He hadn’t recognized her before, without her wrinkles, white hair, or blue robes. Is this how old she’s supposed to be? Angus couldn’t figure out why she had aged so much quicker than the others, even Magnus. He would have to ask when they had time.

“Come in.”

He pushes open the door and steps inside, being sure to shut it carefully behind him. Lucretia’s quarters are dimly lit, a small desk lamp and an empty tank in the corner provide the only sources of liht, and she sits at her desk with her back to Angus. Even from behind, she’s unrecognizable. Her hair is still white, but instead of the shorn style she wore before, it’s thick, pulled into a tight, neat bun atop her head. The red robe she wore earlier is draped over the back of her desk chair, and her posture is worse. She leans over her desk, writing frantically with both hands into a pair of journals.

“Um, Madame Director?”

Angus adjust his bowtie and shifts from foot to foot, waiting for Lucretia to beckon him forward. She turns in her chair to face him and, even though she’s young again, there’s a heavy, aged look in her eyes. Her shoulders are slumped, glasses slightly askew, and Angus feels like she’s looking right through him. Not through him, maybe, but _into_ him. He can barely recognize the young Director sitting before him but he knows that look. When the lost contact with Taako, Magnus, and Merle in Wonderland, she had that same look on her face. It was a look of defeat.

“Angus… how did you end up here?” Lucretia finally breaks the silence, her voice shaking slightly.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, I don’t-“

“Wait, no, come here, Angus.” Lucretia motions for Angus to sit in the chair beside her desk. Angus quickly crosses the room and climbs into the chair. The back is stiff but Angus sinks right into the cushion. He removes his cap, holding it carefully between his hands. Lucretia sets her quills down and turns to face him. “You don’t have to talk about it now, but later I’d like to know how you ended up on the ship with us.”

Angus kneads his cap nervously between his fingers. The back of his head still throbs from when he was slammed into his own barricade and there’s a welt on his palm from the power of the Umbrastaff. Now that the adrenaline has worked its way through his system, he feels exhausted. It’s hard to survive the end of the world when you’re only ten years old.

“I don’t think I want to talk about that right now, if that’s okay with you, ma'am. Lup asked me to come help you- is there anything I can do?”

Lucretia turns and looks at the stacks of bound books, still neatly set up on her desk. The two quills, laid next to the two open journals. She lets out a heavy sigh and Angus wonders if he’s even welcome here. Already, he knows he shouldn’t be here. Seven chairs at the table, seven beds, seven red robes. Angus was an eighth and there was no room here for a child. Tears of frustration immediately well up. He doesn’t belong here.

“Actually, Angus, I _do_ have something for you. Here.” Lucretia quickly reaches for a journal from her ceiling-high stacks and extends it to Angus, who quickly accepts it. “I need you to write down everything you remember about the Bureau, from when you met Taako, Merle, and Magnus on the Rockport Limited, to when you found us on this ship. But don’t just write all the basic points, okay? Write about your relationships with the people that you met. Write about all the little details that only the world’s best detective would know. Could you do that for me?”

Angus looks down at the journal, gripping the moleskin tightly between his hands, and then back up at Lucretia. The tears are still in his eyes. “I’ll try my hardest, ma’am. Is there- is there anything specific you want me to write down? What’s important to know?”

Lucretia smiles at Angus and hands him a quill. “Angus, it’s not about what’s important to know, it’s about what deserves to be _remembered_. And everything deserves to be remembered, Angus, especially the Bureau members.”

Angus carefully takes the quill and opens the journal to the first page. _Everyone deserves to be remembered._ He pauses, and then carefully sets quill to paper. He doesn’t have the best handwriting in the world, but he knows what he wants to say about each of the Bureau Members that he had gotten to know, starting with- as the Director had suggested- his first encounter with Taako, Magnus, and Merle. He’d only been nine then, but he knew that things weren’t right. Intuition was important. He _was_ the youngest and brightest detective in Neverwinter. Once. Now, Neverwinter is part of the Hunger and he’ll never see the city’s glittering spires again, or walk its busy streets. The next time he sees the Chief of the Neverwinter Police, he’ll be living opal. So will everyone at the Bureau.

 _The Bureau_. Angus begins to write. After he talks about the events on the Rockport Limited, he talks first about Carey and Killian. The couple was always so nice to him, and Angus was the first one to notice when Killian started wearing a delicately carved rosewood ring around her finger. He had asked Carey if it meant they were getting married, and Carey had laughed so hard she cried. On Angus’s 10 th Birthday, Killian put on a mystery for Angus to solve, telling him that she hadn’t seen Carey since the day before and she was starting to worry. It ended with a surprise party, and cake, and a new wand that Carey and Killian got for Angus to encourage him to keep studying his magic. It was the same wand that snapped during their battle in the dome.

Thinking about the broken wand causes an instant emotional reaction. Fat tears slip out of the corners of Angus’s eyes before he can stop them and they fall onto the pages of still-wet ink, smudging them. Lucretia must hear him try to stifle a sob because she immediately turns in her chair to face him.

“Angus, what- what’s wrong?” He doesn’t say anything. Lucretia carefully takes the journal from his lap and places it on the corner of her desk. “You don’t have to write anymore if you don’t want to. I’m sorry for expecting you to be able to do it. The- the first year is always the hardest.”

As if on cue, there’s a sharp knock on the door. Merle calls out from the other side. “Hey Lucretia! Come up to the bridge, you an’ the kid are gonna want to see this.”

Angus wipes his glasses on the frayed hem of his sweater vest, wipes stray tears on the back of his hand, and then carefully looks up at Lucretia. “You won’t tell them I cried, right?”

The look in Lucretia’s eyes and the smile on her face display conflicting emotions. Angus can tell that she’s upset, but he isn’t sure by what. Before, whenever he would get distraught during a mission, Lucretia was always calm and stoic. Reassuring. She never got upset in front of him. Frustrated, maybe, but she never had _this_ look in her eyes before. Suddenly, Angus is unsure of how much he actually knows the Lucretia sitting in front of him.

“I promise. Let’s go see what all the fuss is about, huh?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cycle 100 has begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The length of this got away from me, but I needed to get this moving.

The view from the bridge is breathtaking. Seven of them stand together at the portside window, gazing out as a new world unfurls below them. The Star Blaster sweeps over a dense jungle. Bright green leaves form an impenetrable canopy, blinding the crew to whatever lay below. Every so often, the canopy breaks, giving way to deep blue pools of water or wide berths of muddy river with banks that hide from view. Coming up behind the horizon are two suns, one so close behind the other that if Angus squints, he can’t tell that there’s more than one star in the sky.

It’s simultaneously the most beautiful and the most terrifying thing Angus McDonald has ever seen in his short existence.

After a few hours of trying to find a place to land, Davenport maneuvers the ship onto a small strip of visible riverbank. It’s dark on the side of the planet that they land on, the two suns hidden somewhere beyond the horizon. Despite this fact, the whole crew spills out into the humid night to stretch their legs and breathe fresh air.

“Hey, Ango, why don’t you come here?” Magnus motions for Angus to come over and crouches down, kneeling on the soft ground. “Here, climb up on my shoulders. You can see the sky better.”

Angus complies, allowing Magnus to heft him up on his back, holding on tightly as he leans back and stares at the sky. It looks exactly like the sky at home, except there’s only one moon to light the sky. All the stars, though, look the same. For a moment, Angus is so enraptured by the sight of a star-studded sky that he forgets how much he misses home. The last time he gazed up into the night sky, all the stars had gone out. It’s comforting to be able to look up and see something familiar.

Merle and Barry start a fire, and Lup and Taako haul out a pot and some cooking utensils and start throwing together an amazing smelling stew. Magnus sets Angus down next to the fire and Angus, very carefully, sits down on a smooth rock next to the fire, trying to not get his shorts too dirty.

“Just like old times.” Lup sighs.

“Yup, just like old times.” Taako agrees.

All eight of them sit around the fire, exchanging stories about their years before Faerun. Taako reminds everyone of the year that Magnus spent trying to scare them, and they all end up in stitches on the ground. Lup asks if they remember their first year, when Magnus tried to fight a sentient bear, and then Magnus brings up the time Lup lost a bet and had to let him give her a haircut. As they laugh and eat and share stories, Angus notices Lucretia carefully, quietly, collect herself and return to the ship. Nobody else seems to notice her departure.

Angus doesn’t blame her. The stories are funny and he enjoys getting to hear about all of their adventures, but as the night draws on, he finds himself yawning, and eventually, dozing off against Lup’s shoulder.

“Angus, dear, it’s getting late. Why don’t we get you to bed?” Lup suggests as she gently nudges Angus awake.

“We don’t exactly have an extra bed, Lup. Where-“ Davenport starts but Lup cuts him off.

“He can sleep in mine.” Lup says. “I’ll stay in Barry’s room- I’m sure he won’t mind.”

Across the fire, Taako groans and makes a face. It’s decided, then, and Lup gently lifts Angus and carries him onto the ship. He’s dozing off in her arms, face pressed against her shoulder, glasses askew. Lup can see why her brother took to the kid so quickly- Angus is a lot like how Taako was when he was that age. Smart. Adventurous. Brave.

Angus is awake again by the time Lup reaches her room, and she gently sets him down while she digs through her drawers for something for him to wear to bed. By the time Lup has produced an old t-shirt and a pair of gym shorts (why did she ever think she would need _these_?), Angus has fallen asleep again, curled up on the edge of the bed. Lup laughs softly and sets her clothes down on the corner of the bed. She carefully removes Angus’s shoes and glasses and draws the blanket up over his shoulder.

What a cute kid.

=

It’s dark again, back on the moon. Overhead, the sky is void of stars, but it shifts as if it’s alive. Gazing into it feels like looking down the throat of a monster, and it fills Angus with an undefinable sense of fear. As he stares up at the sky, all at once a thousand eyes open, accompanied by the sound of a cannon blast. Angus turns and runs. He can see the neon sign of Fantasy Costco across the quad, but when he reaches the front doors, they’re locked. Angus can see people inside and he bangs against the glass door, trying to get their attention. Nobody looks his way.

“Let me in! Please!” He pushes against the door but it doesn’t budge. The people inside have begun to build a barricade “Please! The Hunger’s coming! You have to let me inside!”

Angus turns around, back pressed against the door, as he watches The Hunger spill out across the quad and manifest into terrifying forms. As the black opal figure of a giant floating hand approaches, Angus bolts, running in the direction of the cafeteria dome. His legs can’t carry him there fast enough, and every time Angus turns, the hand is right behind him. Finally, he reaches the doors of the cafeteria ‘s dome, but again he finds the doors locked. Hands shaking, Angus turns and draws his wand, ready to face the hand. The wood snaps in his hand, and as Angus looks up, the hand slaps him down, and Angus finds himself falling, plummeting off the side of the moon base.

As he falls, he looks up at the eyes that dot the night sky, and a hand made of black tar reaches down and snatches him up right before he hits the ground.

And Angus sits up in bed, only vaguely aware of the scream that escaped his lips. His pulse races and he looks around the room, unsure of where he is. The bed is too big to be his, the room is too sterile and white. His glasses sit on the end table and he quickly puts them on. As he looks around the room, Angus gets a grip on his whereabouts. Still, his heart hammers against his chest.

The door to the room opens and Angus jumps. It’s Magnus that stands in the open doorway. He’s dressed already, red robe drawn around his shoulders and his sword tied to his hip. It looks like he was about to go somewhere. “Hey, Ango. It’s just me. What happened?”

“I’m sorry sir. I just- I had a nightmare. I’m sorry.”

Angus draws his blanket up to his shoulders and watches as Magnus turns the light on and crosses the room. He sits down carefully on the edge of the bed.

“Hey, don’t be sorry, Ango. We all have nightmares sometimes.”

“Even you?”

Magnus laughs. “Yeah, even me!”

It might not make Angus feel completely better, but it helps. “Um, sir, what time is it?”

“Um, morning? We haven’t really figured out… how time works here yet, but the suns just came up over the trees. Taako and Lup made breakfast if you want to get some before we all head out.” Magnus says.

At the mention of breakfast, Angus’s stomach rumbles. “Oh, breakfast does sound good right now, sir.”

“C’mon then. You don’t know it yet, but Lup makes the _best_ eggs you’ll ever have.”

Magnus gets up and waits for Angus by the door while he gets ready. As Angus slides his shoes on, he can’t shake the feeling of fear that his nightmare has put in the pit of his stomach. He knew, now, what happened. The Hunger was going to come back every year until they figured out a new way to stop it. Angus was going to be a little boy until they stopped it.

Angus stands on his toes and carefully fixes his bowtie in the small mirror on the wall, swallowing the lump that started forming in his throat. He didn’t want to cry about this- he had to be brave. Angus is quiet as he follows Magnus down the hall and into the kitchen. Lup stands at the stove, tending a big pan of something delicious smelling, and Taako is sliding a pile of bacon onto a plate. Barry stands at the sink, elbow-deep in dishwater, and Davenport and Merle sit at the table, both drinking coffee.

“Oh, there you are, Angus!” Davenport says, and everyone else chimes in with their own greetings. “We were wondering when you might wake up.”

Angus climbs into the chair across from Davenport and watches the others as they work in the kitchen. “I didn’t mean to oversleep, sir. I guess I was just really tired- we did have a long day, and I read one time that kids need more sleep than adults because we use more energy to grow.”

Merle chuckles and sets his mug down. “Don’t worry about it, kid. You- you fought hard the other night. You earned it.”

As Merle talks, Lup slides a plate stacked with eggs, bacon, and some kind of hash in front of Angus. “We’re all very proud of you, dear. Now eat up, we’ve got a big day ahead of us.”

Angus doesn’t need to be told twice and he eagerly digs in. After several months of weird bureau cafeteria food, a home-cooked meal is exactly what Angus missed. It reminds him of the mornings he spent at his grandpa’s kitchen table, eating scrambled eggs and reading his Caleb Cleveland novels, the light coming in through the dusty lace curtains. Despite the nostalgia, Angus has to admit that Lup’s eggs are far superior to anything he ever could have made. They’re not even burnt or anything.

“So, where are we going?” Angus asks after successfully having eaten his way through the whole plate.

“Ah, a few of us are going out to head out and scope the area.” Magnus says. “It’s important for us to know who lives here but, ah-“

“We were planning on you staying back and helping Lucretia.” Davenport continues, looking from Magnus to Angus. “She needs all the help she can get right now and-“

Angus figures it out almost immediately. “I’m a little boy. You don’t want me going out into the jungle with you because it’s dangerous and I could get hurt, and you think I’ll be safer and less of a burden if I stay on the ship with Lucretia.”

“No, no-“

“Angus that’s not-“

“Dear, we don’t think-“

“I think you’re forgetting that I’m the world’s greatest detective.” Angus says. “I think I could be helpful in the field. It’s an extra hand to carry things, and also I’m really perceptive so I might be able to notice things that the rest of you might miss.”

The adults all sit in stunned silence, and Angus waits patiently for one of them to say something. He’s not wrong, and he knows they know he’s not wrong.

“Kid, you have a good point.” Taako finally breaks the silence. “I trained you myself, I know what you can do, but right now- it’s not time. Today you can help Lucretia with- whatever, I guess- and tomorrow you can go with us if we don’t find anything, alright?”

Angus is hurt. He thought if anyone would be on his side, it would be Taako. But Angus concedes, and he only pouts a little when everyone leaves. He watches them gather their gear by the riverbank and head into the trees. Angus tries to knock on Lucretia’s door, but he hears crying coming from inside and decides that it’s best he leave her alone. He’s not exactly the best when it comes to comforting people. Being bored is one of Angus’s least favorite things to do, and after an hour he’s finally built up the courage to go outside. Maybe walking around in the fresh air will help kill time until Lucretia comes out of her room.

The air outside is thick and muggy. Clouds have started to form overhead and Angus can tell that rain’s not that far off. Even so, just being outside makes him feel better, and he eagerly heads down toward the river’s edge. As Angus walks past the fire pit where they’d all had dinner the night before, he notices a small pack sitting against a rock. Angus picks it up and carefully unhooks the leather straps keeping it shut. Inside is a small canteen of water, a vial of some kind of thick brown paste, two small green crystals, and what smells like dried lavender. Merle must have left his pack behind. Angus looks down into the pack, then up at the ship, and then out at the trees. It hasn’t been very long since they left, he could _certainly_ find them and get back before it started raining.

Angus picks up the pack and swings it over his shoulder. It’s heavier than he would have expected. He takes a deep breath and marches over to the edge of the jungle. Despite the two suns in the sky overhead, Angus can barely see into the trees. All at once, he’s intensely aware of the sounds of the jungle- the calls of birds, the buzz of insects, and an unsettling rustling of the underbrush from something unseen.

He takes a deep breath, looks back at the Star Blaster one last time to make sure Lucretia hasn’t come out, and then steps into the trees.

If only he had his wand.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long, y'all. I wanted to wait until the show was over to post the next chapter and it took them.... a while.... 
> 
> special shoutout to @hops for always keeping me motivated to keep writing this. ur the best

Angus gets twenty minutes into his solo adventure when he realizes that maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. The jungle is dark, and without magic to light the way, following the path left by the other six is incredibly difficult. Roots and other fallen objects constantly trip Angus up. He isn’t wearing the right shoes for this, either, but he can’t just turn back. What if Merle needs his pack? Off to his left, the underbrush rustles.

Maybe he should have asked Lucretia to come with him.

Angus stops to take a small drink of water from the canteen in Merle’s pack, before continuing along in the same direction. Hopefully the others have stopped by now and he’ll be able to catch up soon. The less time he spends alone, the better. Maybe, Angus thinks, they’ll let him go with them once he catches up. Maybe they’ll see how helpful he can be after all.So he walks.

So he walks.

And walks.And walks.

And walks.

And the jungle gets thicker and darker. The birds get louder, as do the insects, and Angus swears he sees something move out of his periphery. No, he definitely sees something move. Something big. Angus clutches tight to the pack and looks around, before tentatively taking a step in what he thinks is the right direction. When he gets close to the dark trail, he can see a set of small, deep footprints in the mud. Merle. Thank the Gods.Taking this as a sign, Angus follows the footprints. The trail is dark, but Angus follows it to his best ability. It’s like one of his Caleb Cleveland novels, he tells himself. It’s the one where Caleb had to solve the mystery of the missing fruit, and he followed the trail to a hideout in the Felicity Wilds where he found out that a group of angry druids had been stealing the fruit because industry in Neverwinter was causing deforestation. They couldn’t have gone far. With Davenport and Merle, they’ll be moving slower so they could keep up.

Taking this as a sign, Angus follows the footprints. The trail is dark, but Angus follows it to his best ability. It’s like one of his Caleb Cleveland novels, he tells himself. It’s the one where Caleb had to solve the mystery of the missing fruit, and he followed the trail to a hideout in the Felicity Wilds where he found out that a group of angry druids had been stealing the fruit because industry in Neverwinter was causing deforestation. They couldn’t have gone far. With Davenport and Merle, they’ll be moving slower so they could keep up.Angus is deep in thought when he steps too far over the edge of something and finds himself tumbling downhill. He cries out, holding out his arms to try and get a hold on one of the roots that stick out from the muddy slope. There’s no such luck. The roots only scrape up his palms

Angus is deep in thought when he steps too far over the edge of something and finds himself tumbling downhill. He cries out, holding out his arms to try and get a hold on one of the roots that stick out from the muddy slope. There’s no such luck, and Angus only manages to scrape his palms and collide his elbow with a tree stump on his way down. He's deposited at the bottom, the wind knocked out of him. Once he regains his breath, he sits up and assesses himself for damage. The second he moves his left arm, he knows there’s something horribly wrong. He knows he needs help.

“Help!”

 

=

  
Once Lucretia’s sure the others have left, she dries her eyes and leaves her room. Hopefully there was something for her to scavenge for a meal before she went back to her journals for the day. Maybe she could even find something for her and Angus to share. Back at the Bureau, she and Angus always shared meals together when the boys were out on missions. It’ll be nice to have him around to help. There’s a lot that needs re-written, and Angus’s story is now part of theirs. Even if he only writes what he knows, it’s still going to help in the long run. When Angus isn’t in the kitchen, Lucretia isn’t concerned. She puts a pot of water on the stove, pulls out a bag of rice from the cabinet, and goes to look for Angus while the water boils. He’s not on the bridge. He’s not in the conference room. He’s not on the deck, or in Lup’s room, or outside by the fire. Lucretia starts to panic. How did she lose a ten-year-old boy? Where could he possibly have gone off to?

When Angus isn’t in the kitchen, Lucretia isn’t concerned. She puts a pot of water on the stove, pulls out a bag of rice from the cabinet, and goes to look for Angus while the water boils. He’s not on the bridge. He’s not in the conference room. He’s not on the deck, or in Lup’s room, or outside by the fire. Lucretia starts to panic. How did she lose a ten-year-old boy? Where could he possibly have gone off to?A sense of dread settles into Lucretia’s bones as she looks out the window toward the trees. She knows the others more than they’d like her to. None of them would have consented to Angus tagging along. He was bright, but he was just a boy, and he didn’t have his wand.

A sense of dread settles into Lucretia’s bones as she looks out the window toward the trees. She knows the others more than they’d like her to. None of them would have consented to Angus tagging along. He was bright, but he was just a boy, and he didn’t have his wand.=

=“Help!”

“Help!”

Magnus barely hears it at first, the small voice blending in with the background noise of the jungle. The six of them had stopped for a moment to fill up their canteens at a clear stream that cut across their path. Since Merle had forgotten his pack at camp, he was examining a few plants to determine if they could be used for healing in a pinch. The twins are sitting on a rock, taking turns putting each other’s hair in buns.Magnus hears it again.

Magnus hears it again.“Help!”

“Help!”“Did you hear that?” He looks to the others.

“Did you hear that?” He looks to the others.Davenport looks up from his compass, which he had been examining with intensity for the last several minutes. “Hear what?”

Davenport looks up from his compass, which he had been examining with intensity for the last several minutes. “Hear what?”The six of them fall

The six of them fall silence and listen. Over the noise of the jungle, they hear it again. Soft and far off, back in the direction that they came from.“Help!”

“Help!”Taako’s ears twitch and he quickly gets to his feet. There’s a sense of urgency in him that Magnus has only seen a few times before in all the years he’s known him. It’s a look that means something is wrong.

Taako’s ears twitch and he quickly gets to his feet. There’s a sense of urgency in him that Magnus has only seen a few times before in all the years he’s known him. 

“It’s Angus.”

The rest of the group quickly gets to their feet as well, but by the time they’ve gathered their packs, Taako is gone- bolted into the forest in the direction of Angus’s voice. Magnus doesn’t wait for the others and quickly follows suit, swiftly maneuvering out of the way of branches and roots, following Taako’s shadowy figure through the dark trees. That old instinct to protect, to help, has kicked itself into gear. If it is Angus, and not some kind of trick of the jungle, what the hell was he doing out here?

=

  
Angus is unsure of how long he lays there, cradling his left arm against his chest. He’ll never be able to find a way back up the hill without being able to see. Injured and unarmed, the sounds of the jungle send shivers of fear through Angus’s body. There’s no way to know what’s out there, and for once in Angus’s short life, the unknown terrifies him.

He calls out, one more time. Maybe the others are closer than he thought- maybe they can hear him. “Help!”

“Angus!”

Taako. Angus carefully sits up and calls out again. “Taako!”

He clutches his arm to his chest and waits. Something in the trees shifts, just a shadow at first. Angus squints, but he can’t even make out where the shadow has gone until it emerges from the underbrush, just a growling black mass. As it nears, Angus begins to make out details. Black fur, a thin snout, and a hundred bared teeth. The wolf leans back on its haunches, prepared to pounce, and Angus screams, covering his face with his good arm.

_This was a mistake I’m too young to die I’m just a boy._

But the attack never comes. A sharp whistling sound erupts, followed by a flash of bright light, and when Angus lowers his arm, he sees the approximate outline of Taako standing in the clearing, wand raised. The wolf lies on the other side of the clearing, dead. Feeling foolish, Angus wipes away an errant tear and looks to Taako as he approaches.

“What happened to your arm?” Taako kneels next to Angus. “Did you get hurt?”

“I- yes, sir. I fell from up there,” Angus motions toward the hill, “and I lost my glasses and I- I think my elbow’s broken.”

“Did the wolf attack you?

“N-no, you got here right in time, Sir.”

Taako breathes a sigh of relief, and then stands, offering a hand to help Angus to his feet. “We told you to stay on the ship and help Lucretia. You know better than this.”

“Sir, I just wanted to help-“

“Well you didn’t help, Angus. You’re being whatever the opposite of helpful is right now. I told you- I told you we’d bring you tomorrow. Why aren’t you on the ship with Lucretia?”

Angus takes a step away from Taako as he raises his voice. This wasn’t the same elf that had mentored him for the last year. Never once had Taako gotten angry or raised his voice, and now he is both. It was clear to Angus that Taako was upset about more than just his getting lost in the jungle. Taako has been acting differently since the moment he regained his memories.

“I’m sorry, sir. Lucretia was- I didn’t-“

Angus is interrupted by Magnus barreling into the clearing, followed quickly by the others. Magnus is quick to rush over to Angus and wrap him up in a tight hug.

“Angus! Thank goodness you’re safe!”

Angus sucks in a breath and presses his good arm against Magnus’s chest. “Sir, that hurts.”

“Sorry, Ango.” Magnus takes a step back but keeps a hand on Angus’s shoulder. “What happened bud?”

Angus quickly recounts the story to Magnus and the others, explaining how he’d found Merle’s pack and thought it would be safer to bring it than have them go all day without the pack. Merle laughs and ruffle’s Angus’s hair, thanking him for being so concerned.

“Lemme get a look at that arm, kiddo.” Merle takes Angus’s arm, holding his elbow between his hands, and begins to channel a healing spell. “Been a while since I got to do some healing, since Pan got swallowed up by The Hunger in the last cycle.”

Angus laughs, and then immediately bites down on his lip as Merle starts to cast the spell. The spell feels like a thousand needles being pushed into his skin, but it only lasts a few moments. Once Merle removes his hand, Angus tests out his arm, bending and twisting to see if there’s any residual pain.

“Wow, thanks sir. You’ll have to teach me that spell some time.”

Merle laughs and pats Angus on the shoulder. “Maybe someday, kid.”

“Angus!”

Everyone turns at the same time toward the sound of Lucretia’s voice. Angus furrows his brow in concern. How had she followed him? She wasn’t even supposed to know he had left. Things were tense enough as it was. Everyone was on edge from losing Faerun and Taako was so angry at Lucretia. The last thing Angus wanted was to cause more problems for them. A second later, Angus makes out the shape of Lucretia stumbling through the trees, her red robe fluttering behind her. She catches herself on a tree at the edge of the hill and looks down at the seven of them. As her eyes meet Angus’s, a smile spreads across her face.

“Oh, thank the Gods.” She quickly lowers herself down the hill, using the loose roots as a ladder. As soon as she’s on the ground, she rushes over and gathers Angus up in a tight hug. “When I woke up and you were gone- I thought something had happened to you.

Angus hugs her back, pressing his face into the dark fabric of her robe. “I’m alright, ma’am. I was bringing Merle his pack and I fell, that’s all. They found me in no time.”

Lucretia gives Angus a squeeze before letting go and standing up. “You should have gotten me, Angus.”

Taako turns to Lucretia. “It’s your fault, isn’t it? You were supposed to be keeping an eye on him! We can’t even trust you to do this one thing.”

“Taako, how was I supposed to know-“

“I don’t know, I figured you’d know what you were supposed to do since you’ve been so sure of yourself up to this point.”  
At this point, Lup steps in, gently taking her brother’s wrist. “Taako, that’s not a fair assessment. We didn’t tell her Angus was staying behind to help her. What happened in Faerun was… hard, but-“

“That’s easy for you to say, you didn’t have to forget.” Taako pulls his arm away from Lup. “I lost _everything_ because of her.”

"Do you think that being inside the umbrastaff was easy for me? Taako, that ten years was so hard for me, but you have to realize that we’re a team again and we have to work together or we aren’t going to beat The Hunger. You have to forgive her.”

Taako shakes his head and turns away. “For once, you’re wrong.”

Lup sighs and turns to Lucretia. “I think… I think you should take Angus back to the ship now, Lucy. We’ll see you when we get back.”

Lucretia puts a hand on Angus’s shoulder and pulls him toward her as she begins to walk away. “Come on, Angus. Let’s get back.”


End file.
